Sikorsky VERT (concept design)

VERT (concept design)
Sikorsky
Stratford, Connecticut, USA
www.sikorsky.com

Founded on March 5, 1923, Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company, is an American aircraft manufacturer based in Stratford, Connecticut, USA. Sikorsky was established by aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky and was among the first companies in the world to manufacture helicopters for civilian and military use. United Technologies Corporation purchased Sikorsky in 1929 and then in November 2015, Sikorsky was sold to Lockheed Martin. (Image credit: Sikorsky)

According to an article published on Oct. 30, 2017 in Aerospace America online, "Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky is researching an autonomous vertical takeoff and landing aircraft amid competition in the nascent market for air taxis to ferry people from downtown to the suburbs...." According to the article, the effort draws on the advanced autonomy capabilities developed by Sikorsky, as well as by its parent company, Lockheed Martin.

Sikorsky vice president Chris van Buiten says the goal "is to have autonomous software that makes movement from one rooftop to another feel as simple as pushing a button to travel on an elevator." According to the interview, when asked if the aircraft would be electric, van Buiten commented, "'that’s a good bet." and noted that "advances in electric propulsion make it easier for companies to choose rotorcraft designs for their air taxi concepts."

In March 2019 Sikorsky announced they were teaming with Otis Elevator. Another Sikorsky official referred to the project as "VERT". Sikorsky was previously involved in the development of the Firefly.

VERT hybrid-electric passenger helicopter concept design
The VERT is a hybrid-electric passenger helicopter concept design made for advanced air mobility (AAM). The rotorcraft has autonomous piloting and holds four passengers.

The helicopter has coaxial rotorblades, uses at least two electric motors and is powered by a hybrid-electric power source. The seating configuration is 2X2 with the passengers facing each other. The windows are larger than normal providing spectacular views for the passengers. The helicopter has no tail rotor making the helicopter safer for ground crews and passengers on the ground more than the common helicopter configuration of main rotorblades and a tail rotor. The rotorcraft has fixed quadricycle strut landing gear.

US Patent Number 11,767,106 B1 Abstract:
An aircraft includes an airframe, and a coaxial main rotor assembly including a static mast and an upper rotor assembly and lower rotor assembly rotatable about a main rotor axis defined by the static mast. The upper rotor assembly and the lower rotor assembly are independently rotatable about the static mast. A propulsion system includes at least one propulsion source for directly driving at least one of the upper rotor assembly and the lower rotor assembly and a flight control system is operably coupled to the propulsion system. The flight control system is operable to independently control a rotational speed of the upper rotor assembly and the lower rotor assembly relative to the static mast.

US Patent on Sikorsky's four passenger hybrid-electric helicopter
On August 31, 2020, Sikorsky filed a US Patent application with the US Federal Government and the patent became official on September 26, 2023. US Patent Number 11,767,106 B1. The patent includes detailed descriptions of the electric helicopter including drawings, active vibration control controllers and actuators, electric motors, batteries, power processing unit, vehicle management systems (VMS), health and usage monitory system (HUMS), engine, engine control system, generators, seating arrangement and more. There are two alternative propulsion schemes, a co-axial rotor system assembly and a fan assembly propulsion system. Sikorsky notes in the patent that many of the design features could change from the original specifications and drawings that were recorded in the US patent.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: Autonomous passenger eVTOL electric helicopter concept design
• Piloting: Autonomous
• Capacity: 4 passengers
• Cruise speed: Unknown
• Propellers: 2 coaxial rotorblades
• Electric motors: 2 electric motors
• Power source: Hybrid-electric power source
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Windows: Larger than conventional windows allowing forward, left and right visibility for spectacular views with a solid roof above the passenger compartment
• Landing gear: Fixed quadricycle strut landing gear

Related Aircraft:

• Sikorsky Firefly (technology demonstrator) (defunct)
• Sikorsky HEX 2-Rotor Tiltwing (technology demonstrator)
• Sikorsky HEX 4-Rotor Tiltwing (concept design)
• Sikorsky HEX Helicopter (concept design)

Company Insights:

• Crunchbase
• MarketWatch
• Pitchbook
• Tracxn

Resources:

• Sikorsky website
• Sikorsky Facebook
• Sikorsky Twitter
• Sikorsky YouTube Channel
• Lockheed Martin Instagram
• Sikorsky Instagram (Archived account, the last post was in 2016.)
• Lockheed Martin LinkedIn
• Sikorsky LinkedIn
• Sikorsky Innovations web page
• Lockheed Martin - Sikorsky Urban Air Mobility website
• Article: Sikorsky Wants to Make Air Taxis as Safe, Reliable as Elevators, Rotor and Wing, Mar. 4, 2019
• Video: Sikorsky and the Future of Urban Air Mobility, Lockheed Martin, Mar. 4, 2019
• Article: Sikorsky partners with spaceship & elevator companies in eVTOL urban air mobility vision, Vertical Magazine, Mar. 13, 2019
• Article: Sikorsky to advance urban air mobility vision at CoMotion LA, Vertical Magazine, Nov. 14, 2019
• Article: Sikorsky to enter the AAM race with new hybrid-electric VTOL, Vertical Magazine, Dec. 2, 2022
• Article: Sikorsky details plans for new family of hybrid eVTOL aircraft, Vertical Magazine, Mar. 8, 2023
• Article: Sikorsky shares more details about its planned hybrid-electric demonstrator, Aerospace America, Mar. 31, 2023
• Patent: Electric Vertical Takeoff And Landing Vehicle, United States of America, Sept. 26, 2023